The News that No One Hopes For
by Magi Silverwolf
Summary: It was unexpected and shocking. Molly knew she had to act quickly but she knows that she's racing the clock.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own the original canon nor am I making any profit from writing this piece. All works are accredited to their original authors, performers, and producers while this piece is mine. No copyright infringement is intended. I acknowledge that all views and opinions expressed herein are merely my interpretations of the characters and situations found within the original canon and may not reflect the views and opinions of the original author(s), producer(s), and/or other people.

**Warnings:** This story may contain material that is not suitable for all audiences and may offend some readers. Please exercise understanding of personal sensitivities before and during reading.

**Author's Note(s):** So…I'm back on the angst train. This time because Gwen gave me the idea a while back to have Molly Weasley need to take a kid to the hospital while home alone with them. Oh, and _yes_, I did create an extra Weasley child.

**Challenge/Competition Block**:  
**Stacked with:** MC4A (Hang; WiB; Swap; Share; T3; O3; SHoE; FPC; BAON; ToS; SIN; NC; PP; SoC; FF; Star; Fence; ER; RoB; MLG; Cluster; VV)  
**Individual Challenges:** Rainbow Focus; More than England; Fore-Touch; Small Fry (x3); Gryffindor MC; Hufflepuff MC; Medic MC; Baby Mine; No Proof; Interesting Times; Golden Times; Old Shoes [HPverse] (Y); Themes & Things A [Love]; Themes & Things B [Protection]; Feeling So Logical [Clinical]; Neurodivergent; Tiny Terror (x3); Quiet Time; Booger Breath; Booger Breath Rider; Rian-Russo Inversion; In a Flash; Green Ribbon  
**Other MC4A Challenges (Prompt):** Wi Bingo [5A] (Family); Swap [Outer Wear] (Orange Vest); Hang (Sibling Fics – No Incest)  
**Representation:** the Weasleys; autistic Newt Scamander  
**Bonus Challenge(s):** Second Verse (Not a Lamp; White Dress; Nontraditional; Sneeze Weasel; Nightingale; Spinning Plates; Lovely Coconuts; Queen Bee; Where Angels Fear); Chorus (Odd Feathers; Pear-Shaped; Wabi Sabi; Machismo; Peddling Pots; Mouth of Babes; Tomorrow's Shade; A Long Dog; Larger than Life; Unicorn; Turtle-Duck; Sitting Hummingbird; Getting On)  
**Tertiary Bonus Challenges:** T3 (Terse; Toad); O3 (Ox); SHoE (Terse)  
**Word Count**: 880

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**The News that No One Hopes For**

Part 01  
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It started as the smallest of fevers.

Molly was feeling run down herself. Morning sickness was really bad this time, despite how this was her fourth pregnancy and her mother had assured her that it always got easier. Fortunately, Bill was willing to help keep Charlie and Tristan entertained while she visited the bathroom.

A tiny fever wasn't anything to worry about, not when it wasn't even enough to dust Tristan's cheeks with pink. Looking back afterwards, Molly would curse herself for not worrying more. What was morning sickness when her one-year-old was getting sick? What did the laundry matter? What did the tidying? She should have taken him to St. Mungo's _then_, when she first noticed that he was a bit warmer beneath the lips she had pressed to his forehead before putting him down for a nap.

She should have done more and sooner.

But she hadn't.

She had gotten Tristan and Charlie down for their naps. At five, Bill had declared himself too big for naps. Molly allowed it. She hadn't allowed Charlie to make the same claim about three, especially when he became an absolute dragon by dinner if he missed his afternoon nap.

She had discovered another smell that triggered her morning sickness.

She had started the pot roast cooking in the oven for dinner.

She had gotten the babies up from their naps and left them playing in the front room with Bill while she had hung the wet laundry on the line.

"Mommy," Charlie cried out when she checked on them afterwards, "look! Tristan is a d'agon! I wanna be a d'agon!"

Expecting nothing more a bit of accidental magic had given her youngest wings, Molly looked over to where Bill was playing with Tristan. Playing wasn't quite the right word. Bill was holding the toddler's hands to keep him from scratching at the patches of scales that had appeared on his arms while she had been outside. She felt her heart stop as horror washed over her.

It was the pox. It had to be.

Molly wasted no time gather all three of children before the fireplace. With shaking hands, she tossed the necessary pinch of Floo Powder into the fire. The instant the flames turned green, she scooped all of them into her arms and stepped into the Floo.

"St. Mungo's," she shouted desperately as she began to spin through the Network.

She stumbled as she came out the other end. Bill wiggled out of her hold, taking Charlie with him. The two clung to each other as she rushed towards the nearest reception desk. Already upset with Bill not letting him scratch and now irritated by the trip through the Floo Network, Tristan wailed into her ear.

She could feel the heat rolling off of him now even through their clothes.

"Help me," Molly yelled over Tristan's cries. The witch manning the desk was already waving over a large wizard in robes of medi-wizard white. The man hurried to meet her halfway.

"Name's Burke," he said briskly. "What's his symptoms?"

"Fever and scales," she answered. The wizard went gray enough to almost match his robes. Without reaching out to touch them, he pointed to the red door at the end of the hall. Her gut felt like a troll had just fell over in it.

She still ran towards the quarantine wing, checking over her shoulder for her older children. Charlie was crying now, upset with either the sudden trip or that he didn't have scales like his brother. He had been obsessed with the beasts since he had seen a picture of one in his creature book. Bill was just observing it all while trying to get Charlie keep up with her.

Then an older wizard in a bright orange vest stopped the boys from following Molly and Burke. His hair was like faded embers as if it had used to be a pale red but time had faded it to a goldish-white. Other than the orange vest, his clothes would easily have passed as Muggle attire. Molly vaguely remembered him having been headed towards the Muggle exit, so that made sense.

"I'll get these two squared away in the waiting area, Burke," the new wizard said. "They don't need to be with you guys as you treat the little one." He crouched down to tweak Charlie's nose, making the three-year-old stop crying in confusion. "Besides, I think this one would love to hear all my stories about dragons."

"Newt, you know that Tina won't be happy about you standing her up."

"I'm sure my beloved wife would understand," Newt countered. He waved his hand at the medi-wizard. "I can keep the little company as we all get decontaminated." He made an exaggerated face of disgust as he explained to Charlie and Bill that, "It involves slime, you know."

Not giving Molly any say in the matter, Burke hustled her and Tristian through the red door. Her last sight of her oldest two before it closed was Bill hugging Charlie to his side as Newt made the toddler giggle. That gave her a bit of hope as she faced the terrible knowledge that her youngest had the most horrible sickness in the wizarding world.

It had to be enough.

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To Be Continued  
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End file.
